


Both Ways Open Houses

by starespressos



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Best Friends, Buttertacles Attacks Take 2, Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Open house, Single mention of ableism and correction of it, Single mention of homophobia, We Are All Jojo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 17:10:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12845706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starespressos/pseuds/starespressos
Summary: Dean and Castiel, college buddies and best friends, pretend to be a couple for a possible future landlady who only rents for couples.





	Both Ways Open Houses

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jojodacrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jojodacrow/gifts).



> For [Jojo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jojodacrow). Love you, get well!
> 
> Both Ways Open Jaws is an album by the incredible The Dø and it has nothing to do with this fic. I just didn't want to call this fic just "open house".

”I can't believe I let you talk me into this.”

Dean and Castiel are standing in front of a wooden building lit by the fires on each side of the walkway.

The house is obviously stunning. Built in 1901 for upper-class citizens, it's currently considered a landmark and under the city protection. Inside, it's divided in four sections each with their own essentials for living; kitchens, bathrooms, fireplaces, and multiple bedrooms.

And that's why they're here now.

”We got the chemistry, Cas. What can I say?” Dean asks, trying to keep his voice carefree. Castiel knows his best friend well enough to know he's mostly faking it, though – there's no way he wouldn't be nervous about this.

And if something in Castiel's chest sinks a little as he thinks about the situation, he keeps it to himself. They've been living on loaned time for four years now. Ever since they graduated from college, they've been getting ready to move out of their apartment and start lives of their own. While Castiel has always enjoyed their living arrangements, Dean has been showing signs of restlessness lately. They both landed steady jobs in their respective fields, and have been making enough money to be able to move into bigger circles, and let's face it – there does come a time in everyone's life when living in a small apartment somewhere downtown, sharing the surrounding walls with around a hundred people is just not gonna cut it anymore. It's really about living standards.

Dean recently told Castiel he's started dating someone, and from what Castiel had gathered since, it's going well for them. Besides the bare essentials, Castiel prefers not to know. Him having harbored feelings for Dean ever since they first met is hardly Dean's fault and he shouldn't suffer from Castiel's unfounded jealousy.

But tonight is when it gets really weird, Castiel thinks as he feels Dean take his hand and lead him towards the front of the house. Tonight, Dean is looking to rent a quarter of this beautiful heritage house and that's where Castiel steps in the picture – the owner of the house is adamant on only renting it to a couple. The other three quarters already belong to families or couples, and they weren't keen about getting a single, possibly party-prone, neighbor.

In principle, the landlord isn't allowed to discriminate tenants according to their social status, but Dean told Castiel he wouldn't really be seen as the number one choice in a bake-off of an apartment showing if he was the only person alone. So now he has pie in one hand, and Castiel in the other, and they're stepping in through the door that's invitingly open.

“Hello, younglings,” a fire-haired woman says, smirking and looking at them from head to toe, “I'm the landlady, Rowena McLeod. Please, take a look around and – is that pie?”

“Yes, ma'am,” Dean says, giving Rowena a charming smile, “and, uh – I called someone earlier about this apartment, but it wasn't you I talked with.”

“That must have been my no-good son, Crowley,” Rowena sighs, rolling her eyes a bit. Then, he takes the pie from Dean's hands and places it on the counter next to at least ten other food items.

“That must have been it,” Dean admits, “Anyway, I'm Dean Winchester and this is my fiance, Castiel.”

“How nice. Now, if you'll excuse me,” she says and greets people arriving after them with much more glee. Castiel leans in closer to Dean's ear.

“Is she a homophobe or does she simply know everyone else but us?”

Dean laughed. “A bit of both, I assume. Anyway, fiance. Let's go see what this is about.”

Castiel lets Dean guide him to the living room first. The floors are old, painted glossy white and really chilly under their feet, but they don't keep the thought of Dean padding around in slippers and a bathrobe at bay. It's an endearing thought, and Castiel can imagine them brewing coffee together, laughing together while they drink it in the living room, possibly in front of the fireplace in the winter –

Yes, and he needs to stop this immediately.

“See? Everyone's a couple here,” Dean hisses, and his breath in Castiel's neck makes him shiver. “I couldn't have come alone.”

“I agree,” Castiel says, “and it looks like a nice place.”

“It looks exactly what I'd like to upgrade to,” Dean sighs, running his hand along the windowpane wide enough to sit on, “and my heart's absolutely going to break if we're not getting this.”

Castiel is not going to ask what Dean's meaning with “we”, because he knows the answer and can't hear it. He doesn't need to ruin this beautiful house by imagining Dean hugging, and kissing, and showering, and sitting on windowpanes with someone else. He needs to pretend he's truly here to look for a new apartment with his fiance.

So he does exactly that. After they ascend the narrow stairs to the second floor, Castiel places his hand on the small of Dean's back and pulls him closer. For a moment, Dean looks at him as if he's wondering whether to kiss Castiel for good measure or not. Then, he coughs and looks away instead.

“This is badass,” he says to distract them both, in awe of the layout upstairs. It's two small bedrooms, just enough to fit a queen-size bed comfortably, and a long hallway with a window at the end. “It's like a horror movie. No, it's like playing Slender in real life.”

“Dean, you can't play Slender and you know it,” Castiel sighs, painfully aware of Dean's warmth on his side, “how could you live in a house like this?”

“Hey!” Dean yelps, obviously not truly wounded by the statement. They continue exploring in comfortable silence, and Castiel feels his mood darken further.

He's not ready to let go of what they've built during these years. He's not ready to lose his best friend, and he's not ready to lose their stupid daily banter, or their Star Wars marathons. He's not ready to get bitter over everything that reminds him of Dean, and he's not ready to meet The Date when he visits Dean in this beautiful house. He's not ready to forget how they met at a freaking debate club, and how they transcended their debates into everyday life – and he doesn't want to stop seeing the progress Dean has made in changing from a conservative, traditional basic Kansas guy to something liberal, enthusiastic, open, and questioning.

“Alright, this is way too cool,” Dean says, sliding through a little door to step onto the attic. It's colder in there, and Castiel's breath comes out in vapor puffs. Currently, the attic has what seem like Barbie boxes, books, plastic bags, and a dollhouse. “Imagine what kind of a den I could build here! Just, like, make it a sanctuary for all my geek stuff.”

“Or, make it an actual room? An office?”

“Cas, don't be lame,” Dean laughs, venturing further in. The attic seems to continue forever in a rectangular shape. Somewhere along the way, the light stops hitting items and it's impossible to tell what's beyond. “Now, I smell adventure.”

“Really,” Castiel deadpans. “All I smell is cold and... And maybe mold in the structures.”

“Nah, they've tested it recently. Rowena has all the documents down there.”

“Alright. Serious talk, Dean. Are you going to apply to this house?”

Dean's eyes meet Cas' across the space, and there's a glint of sadness in them. “Of course I am.”

Castiel nods and steps back to the main room of the upper floor. “I'm sorry, it's really cold in there.”

Dean mumbles something Castiel doesn't hear. He leaves his soon-to-be-ex-roommate to make his way out himself and heads back downstairs. People have multiplied, and it looks like there's a total housewarming party going on already. As soon as he makes his way to the kitchen again, a man approaches him.

“So,” he says with a voice that's both prompting and menacing, “finding the apartment to your liking?”

“Uh, yes,” he says and is trying to make his way out of the conversation as soon as possible. Then he realizes he needs to sound interested in the place – let it be damned if Dean lost the apartment because Castiel is a general failure in everything he does. “Would we be splitting the gardening duty with the other people living here?”

“Currently it's split in four, because all of the apartments have a reasonable amount of space around the corners of the house,” the man says, still obviously analyzing him, “but you also share a little of the benefits. There's no point in having separate barbecue spots, gazebos, or playgrounds. So those are things you would be sharing.”

“That makes sense. I'm only asking because I really like gardening, and I'd like to participate in tending it.”

The man nods. Castiel vaguely wonders if this is the man Rowena called her “no-good son”. As if on cue, Rowena arrives.

“Hey there,” she says and her voice takes an accusatory tone. “Where'd you leave your fiance?”

“In the attic,” Castiel replies. “He's really looking forward to making that a nerd center. I'd prefer it as an office.”

“Dude here's interested in gardening,” the man states. Rowena nods.

“Already making decisions about the rooms, eh?” she asks, a quirk of her lips hinting at something she's not telling.

“Well, one can certainly dream.”

“Look, we get people like you from time to time,” Rowena finally says, and for a moment, Castiel thinks she's talking about gay couples, but no such luck, “people who think they can fly under the radar and get this apartment by pretending they're a couple.”

“I... don't know what you're talking about,” Castiel says, trying to make his voice nonchalant. He can already feel Dean's heart breaking over this apartment.

“We put in the requirement for a reason. We're looking for long-time tenants who are ready to settle down and start a family.”

“That's kind of shady on the whole ethics department, assuming people want families.”

“Well, I don't give a flipping fuck whether your kids are human, felines or cherubs,” Rowena deadpans, “as long as you're in it for the long term. And you, and your – let me guess – college buddy there aren't there. Sorry.”

“What's this about buddies?” a voice emanates from behind Castiel, and he feels arms wrap around his waist. Oh, he would gladly die if that meant he could have this forever. He slides his hands over Dean's and gives them a gentle squeeze.

“These people here think we're in it for the laughs, apparently,” Castiel scoffs, trying to make his voice a bit spiteful, but still maintaining some respect.

“Ah, well. It's not like this is the first time,” Dean hums, and gives Castiel's neck a small kiss. “We do usually get turned down because, well, not everyone is tolerant.”

“Don't try to make this a political issue,” the man spits out and turns his back for a second.

“We're not making this a political issue,” Dean says, “although, you have to admit it's a factor you have to consider when people disrespect you.”

Castiel gives Dean's fingers another squeeze. He's so proud of those debate skills. Dean replies with intertwining their fingers and Castiel feels his feet lift off the ground. Okay, this must never end. No matter how long they'd have to keep the conversation going, this can't end.

“We're not disrespecting anyone,” the man states, “I just seriously want to find good tenants for my mother's apartment today and get to sleep.”

“Well, it just so happens that these tenants could drop three month's rent in advance. Just to get a headstart on that family life,” Dean says. Was he listening through the whole time Castiel had been struggling with the McLeods?

“That's not going to-”

“Fergus,” Rowena says, keeping his eyes firmly on Castiel and Dean, “I've come to reconsider.”

“Mother, these people are not a couple.”

“Just because we're both men? Blasphemous,” Castiel sighs. Dean's arms tighten around his waist. _Please never let go._

“What exactly do you want, Fergus?” Dean asks. “Proof?”

“Where's your rings, for starters?” Fergus says, gesturing towards their intertwined hands. “For engaged people, there's a shortage of rings at play here.”

“Ordered custom rings from this really neat Star Wars themed store that sold engagement rings. They're carved by hand, so it'll take a while,” Dean says and _damn,_ he's convincing. “Don't exactly want to chain this beauty down with an ugly plain ring.”

Castiel blushes at the compliment and tries to forget it's fake. There's a moment of silence during which another couple leaves, and then Rowena turns to face Fergus to apparently reprimand him. Dean leans closer, eliciting shivers down Castiel's spine.

“You alright, Cas?” he whispers in his ear. After another set of shivers, he nods. “Good. Should we kiss?”

Castiel's whole body just kind of stops working for a while. Alright. Yes. Alright. For the fake relationship thing. That's why Dean is asking. Of course. He clears his throat.

“You alright with that?” he forces out. He can feel Dean nod against his shoulder.

“If that means getting the apartment, I'm definitely down for faking it all the way through.”

Castiel turns around, meeting Dean's gaze. He wants to tell Dean it's more than a fake kiss for him, and he wants to do that before they kiss – but he can't explain it now, because there's no time for elaborate conversations. He'd tell him as soon as they were out of this apartment, then. If Dean would end up feeling used, Castiel would try to make it right in every way he could. He'd, again, rather die than hurt Dean on purpose. God, he has it bad. It's the second time tonight he thinks about dying for Dean.

“It's a big deal, though,” Dean continues, “I know. But I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't ready to go there.”

“Then I'm fine with it too,” Castiel says, nodding solemnly. How in the hell did they end up here? Seriously, they were just eating tacos for lunch. Dean frees one of his hands from Castiel's waist and cups his cheek. Castiel kisses his hand almost instinctively, making Dean's eyes soften. Then, Dean leans impossibly close, and presses his lips against Castiel's.

Oh, fuck. If Castiel thought he had it bad just now, he has it worse. It's like being given everything you've ever wanted in life, but only for a little moment, and then watching it all go up in flames. Dean's hands ground Castiel's body to this world, but his head is spinning and his breath stutters in his lungs, and he never wants for this to end-

Rowena's cough returns them to reality with a jolt. Dean briefly leans his forehead on Castiel's before taking a half-step back, still comfortably keeping him close by his waist.

“As I was saying,” Rowena says, “if you can make it four months rent in advance, you've got yourself an apartment.”

A happy squeal escapes Castiel's throat. Dean squeezes him firmly.

“You're serious?” Dean asks, obviously stunned. Rowena nods and smirks.

“Yeah. It's time my little dollhouse got representation of non-straights.”

“I definitely agree,” Castiel says, trying to sound firm but sounding shaky due to _what the fuck where did the tacos go seriously_

“I can make the deposit first thing in the morning,” Dean says.

“That's splendid. Call me when you've got a receipt to show me, and we'll meet for keys.”

Rowena places a card with an account number to Dean's hand and leaves. At that exact moment, Castiel feels his heart collapsing on him, so he shakes himself free from Dean's grip, mutters something of fresh air and beelines out.

The stars are out, and it's cold. The obviously beautiful garden is now in slumber under inches of snow, and Christmas is just around the corner. The fires on the sides of their walkway get foggy, and start spreading and it takes Castiel a moment to realize he's crying.

It's too much.

He bends over to catch his breath and straightens when he hears footsteps behind him. He knows they belong to Dean. He's fallen in love with the man a long time ago and knows him by heart.

“I can't fucking believe this,” Dean says, voice full of excitement. “Alright. Packing, first thing tomorrow. No, deposit is the first thing. I think I can borrow a car from Bobby and we can get moving as soon as-”

Ah. That silence is the sound of Dean being observant. Castiel hopes his tears have dried as he finally turns around to face Dean. There's worry in Dean's eyes.

“I'm sorry. I just... I'm scared,” Castiel says. It's the truth. Now he just has to make his way up into bigger truths.

“Why? If it's your work schedule or something, I don't mind-"

“No, it's not that. It's that I haven't had time to adjust to your moving. I don't know where I'll end up. Possibly I'll go to Gabriel's for a while.”

Dean frowns, but then bursts out laughing.

“Yes. Very funny. Logistical things are always funny.”

“Cas, you're an idiot.”

“That's a word you shouldn't use anymore, Dean.”

“Cas, you're thick in the head. And don't squint at me. You get the idea.”

“Alright, wise-ass. Why am I thick in the head?”

Dean steps closer. “Because you think you're not moving in with me.”

What?

And another step. “Because you think I'd want to live without you.”

_What_?

He takes one more steps, and suddenly he's in Castiel's space. “Why would you think that?

“Because you've found someone and you're moving because you don't want to live with your college buddy anymore and-”

“What? Found someone? Come on, I went for like three dates with the guy. Nothing ever came out of that.”

“Oh,” Castiel says. What in the world is going on here?

Dean smiles. “And as for the college buddy part,” he continues, and suddenly lowers his gaze and frowns. “I don't think you've been my college buddy in a long time.”

“Yes, well, we did graduate a couple of years ago, Dean,” Castiel points out. Dean glances at him, shaking his head.

“Fuck you.”

Castiel shakes his head. “I really don't know what you're talking about. I didn't say that to insult you.”

“You're the best friend I've ever had. And even that doesn't cut it. I don't know if I've ever believed in the whole soulmate thing, because that's sappy as fuck and I'm still trying to cling to the shreds of my ego here – but that's what I feel when I'm around you. Nobody just gets me like you do.”

Castiel's heart is pounding painfully fast. He feels it in his muscles and in his ears – that ridiculous drumbeat reminder of what always has belonged to Dean, and Dean only.

“And I don't know how long it'll be here,” he continues, “since one day, you're probably gonna find someone and want to move in with them, and I'm gonna have to accept that. But until then, I'd really like to keep you close.”

“How close?” Castiel whispers. Dean looks up to him, trying to read his expression. Castiel's pretty sure he's crying again, and neither of just is going to make a big deal out of that.

“What?”

“How close would you want me?”

“I don't-”

“Because when we were inside, I made a promise to myself to tell you as soon as we leave that apartment that it was not a fake kiss for me. It was not a fake kiss, or fake affection, or fake touching, or fake fucking anything, Dean.”

Because the silence lasts for more than two seconds, Castiel hides behind his hands. He's definitely crying now, sobs making his whole body shake. Why the fuck did he just ruin it?

Then, then, _then_ he feels Dean's arms around him again and he's so glad Dean has learned to read him this well – well enough to know when to touch, and when not to. He moves his palm up and down Castiel's back until his sobs calm down a little.

“Hey,” Dean whispers then, “look at me.”

“No. I'm ugly now,” Castiel mumbles.

“You threw up on my face once before passing out. I've seen you ugly already.”

Castiel huffs out a laugh and lowers his hands just enough to uncover his face. There's nothing but amusement, no, affection, _no_ , love in his eyes – and it's still exactly the same expression Dean has always had when he looks at Castiel. How has he been this _thick in the head?_

“Hey,” Dean says again, “I'm in love with you.”

Castiel buries his face in Dean's neck this time, and tries to stay absolutely still – if he wouldn't move, Dean wouldn't realize it's actually him he's confessing his love to, right? That way, Castiel could keep pretending Dean meant it.

“I've been in love with you for a while now, to be honest,” Dean continues, “okay, when you threw up on me, that's when I fell out of love a little, but the next day you made pie. You've got to understand how much pie means to me.”

Castiel laughs on Dean's skin, and gently gives it a little kiss. “Are you serious?”

“Of course. And I know I should've told you back then, but I've got work to do with my pride. Besides, I thought you didn't care when you never reciprocated my flirting.”

“You flirt more than you breathe, silly,” Castiel huffs, “you can't blame me for not taking it seriously.”

Dean pushes Castiel's shoulders gently to see his face again. “Now, will you move in with me?

Castiel nods and collects the remainders of his courage to ask for one more thing. “If I can do it as your boyfriend.”

“Great,” Dean says, his face melting into a soft expression again, “I wouldn't have it any other way. Also, could we kiss again? I would like to kiss you now that we're on the same page.”

Castiel nods again, and grabs the collar of Dean's jacket to pull him closer and plant a firm, reassuring kiss on Dean's lips. They stand still for a while, until Dean pulls Castiel closer by placing a hand on the small of his back. They work together effortlessly, learning and exploring each other's lips and mouths, and getting to know each other again on a level that was both so much more and exactly the same than before.

 

In two weeks, all of their stuff is in the apartment. The attic becomes a geek cave, and since they only need one bedroom, the other one becomes an office. For Christmas, Castiel buys Dean slippers and a bathrobe that he refuses to take off for the next week and a half.

 


End file.
